


Where we're going, we don't need roads

by bryar6



Series: Halloween Adventures [4]
Category: Tales of Arcadia (Cartoons)
Genre: Character Dynamics, Douxie is the big bro/father figure to Nari and it's super cute, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Halloween Costumes, Halloween traditions, Post-Wizards, Slice of Life, They’re an adorable and loving family gd it, Zoe and Douxie are the tired parents of one little forest goddess, first halloween, zouxie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:21:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27293359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bryar6/pseuds/bryar6
Summary: Nari has never experienced Halloween before, but her companions are determined to make it one that she'll enjoy.
Relationships: Douxie/Archie/Zoe and Nari, Hisirdoux "Douxie" Casperan/Zoe
Series: Halloween Adventures [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1979104
Comments: 8
Kudos: 20





	Where we're going, we don't need roads

**Author's Note:**

> Don’t ask me when in the timeline of my fics this one takes place because I have no clue except for it’s Halloween, after Zoe arrives in NYC, and everything in here counts towards my works so do with that what you will. 
> 
> There is the tiniest bit of angst in there because what's a story without a little balance? But ultimately it's fine, they're all adorable and happy by the end. Also, I will say that Back to the Future does exist in their universe, despite knowing Steve referenced some spoof of it in Wizards - I'm just going to say that Steve was literally just talking about a knockoff movie lmao and hence why Douxie was dismissive(BttF is one of Douxie's faves hands down, we all know it(I mean literally, our soft punk boi watches this and goes "Damn that was me").

“Douxie?” 

“Mhmm?” Douxie rolls over in his bed and yawns. The light touches on his hair and paints a faded look. It’s a sort of dullish gray light coming in from the windows of their apartment, indicating yet another bleary day. Usually, this would make Nari disappointed, but instead she has come to terms with days like this. There are a lot of them in the city. 

“I was wondering…” Nari starts, tapping her fingers together. Douxie makes an effort to properly focus his attention and meets the little goddess’s glowing eyes. 

“Go on. You won’t wake Zoe up, she’s dead asleep,” he says, casting a glance over his shoulder to his girlfriend? Partner? Beloved? Nari doesn’t know what labels the two use. Whatever they have is much more than a simple love. The amount of kissing and holding and murmuring surely indicates more than friends, that she knows. 

“Well, Archie was telling me all about Halloween. He said you usually have a lot of fun. People dress up and go out, and get candy…” Nari trails off, shly looking at him. 

“Right! Halloween is just in a few days, isn’t it? I’d nearly forgotten, what with everything going on.” He shifts and groans. “It’s so busy. But! I do have the thirty-first off.” 

“Would you and Zoe take me to Halloween?” 

Douxie laughs softly, a sound Nari had grown fond of. “Of course. You deserve the full human experience. Er, the positive side, that is.” 

“Thank you, Hisir- um, Douxie. You are very kind,” she says, her own smile growing. He scoffs. 

“It’s nothing, ladybug.” He reaches out and scratches the spot behind her horns and she leans into it, smiling. She feels a wonderful warmth at the nickname he’d adopted for her. “But I think I’m going to sleep in a little longer.” 

“Rest well,” Nari says, patting his head with a soft hand. His face stays relaxed as he rolls back over and puts an arm around Zoe, settling back under the blanket. Archie lays at their feet, curled on himself. Nari runs a hand over his fur as she moves past their bed. He raises his head with a small sound and blinks slowly at her. “Good morning.” 

“And to you,” Archie says, rising and arching his back as he stretches. He leaps off the bed and follows her out of their room. The two walk together into the central room of the apartment. Archie flexes his shoulders and takes on his human shape. 

Nari always found Archie’s human shape to be a strange yet accurate representation of who he is. He can’t maintain it for long, but it’s his preferred form if he requires thumbs for anything. He is a young man, appearing to be a good five or more years older than Douxie himself, with a stubbly beard, his classic circular glasses, and feathery black hair. His eyebrows are frosted white, and his chest marking is a white scar on his sternum. 

Archie lifts the dirty dishes scattered around the apartment into his human arms and transfers them into the sink. He staggers a little, trying to find his balance on just two feet. Nari helps where she can, organizing the pile of shoes by the door, shifting the many stacks of Douxie’s books, and hanging up coats left around. Archie pulls things from the dishwasher and puts them away and as soon as he’s done, he scratches his head a couple times(a rather blissful look crossing his face) and transforms back into a cat. He yawns and curls up in the faint light streaming through the sliding doors. 

Nari picks up a book from her own little stack of them. It’s a children’s library book, but Zoe had insisted on getting her something more on her reading level. And they had quickly learned that Nari loved the picture books. She could spend hours tracing her fingers over the pictures and studying the large printed words dancing across the colorful pages. It was surely an art. 

The little goddess turns a new book over in her hands, enjoying the sound of the plastic cover crunching under her fingers. She rubs her fingers over the raised text on the front, the title. This was a history book, and of true stories, apparently. She does not know what “Witch Trials” are but it sounds intriguing. 

But as she reads on, she realizes it is just another account of humans being hateful towards one another. They used lies and suspicions as reasons to kill one another. It pains Nari to think of any actual witches or wizards losing their lives to this, on top of those who were innocent and probably couldn’t have gotten away. Nari sets it down and picks up another book, this time a much simpler one with animal characters in costumes. 

“Good morning,” Zoe says, sitting on the couch beside Nari. “What have you been reading?” 

“Halloween books. Douxie said he would take me to Halloween.” Nari lifts two books, pointing their covers to Zoe. The witch cracks a smile at her. 

“Of course we will. You’ll have to start thinking about a costume. You know, the three of us tend to play this game where one of us chooses the costumes that year... Wait, Nari, where’d you get this book?” Zoe asks, pointing to the one with “Salem” emboldened on the cover. 

“From the library?” Nari looks at her in confusion. The witch’s face has contorted in pain, but Nari sees no outward injury. Zoe’s aura has grown cold and closed off. “Douxie checked them out for me.” 

“Oh,” Zoe says, quietly. She lifts the book and puts it back into the stack, moving up and into the kitchenette where Douxie is attempting to make breakfast. 

Nari frowns. What had she done wrong? Did Zoe not like Halloween? Or was Nari missing something? She couldn’t tell. Zoe talks to Douxie in a hushed tone and Nari can just barely make out their conversation. 

“So I see there’s a Salem book from the library.” Zoe’s face doesn’t express annoyance, rather, something somber and tired and sad. 

“Oh, no, Zo, I’m so sorry, that must have been an accident. I really would have avoided it if I’d looked closer. I’ll return it,” he says quickly, taking her hand in one of his and rubbing her shoulder with his other. 

“It’s okay, I just...feel bad that Nari has to learn about it like that…those stories only do it half-justice. And I can’t...educate...her on it.” Zoe leans her head into his chest and closes her eyes. Nari finds her pain and discomfort worrying. “And it still hurts.” 

“I know, love. Don’t you worry yourself over it. I can take care of it, you just focus on keeping it together. I know you can.” Douxie hugs her for a few moments and pulls back to return to the toast he was buttering. Zoe’s aura seems much more calmed now and this puts Nari back at ease. She decides to not ask any further. Instead, Nari studies the silly costumes in yet another picture book and wonders about what she will choose. 

It’s all too soon before Douxie and Zoe have to leave for work. The two of them wish Nari a good rest of her day, hugging her before heading out. Nari feels a sad pang in her chest as their auras grow further away. She would trace them by their magic if it wasn’t already so conflated in the apartment, confusing that sixth sense all magical creatures have. Nari is surprised by the strength of Douxie’s concealing wards that hide their magic to the outside world. Magic is used almost excessively in their little apartment. From something as simple as removing a Sharpie stain on the coffee table, to the more complex, like the air filtration spell, the two mages were constantly using magic for one thing or another. If anything, it makes their lives easier, but Nari knows it takes a heavy toll on Douxie. 

Nari slips a DVD into the player and settles onto the couch, ready to spend yet another day simply waiting for them to come home. 

*********************

Douxie opens the door into the apartment, letting Zoe duck under his arm. Her hands are full of long strands of leaf garland, a couple small decorative pumpkins, and several bags of Twizzlers. Douxie has one large pumpkin under his arm and more decorations in his other hand. 

“Nari!” he calls out, dropping everything onto the counter. She hops off the couch and trots over to Douxie, standing on her toes to see onto the counter. “We brought home some Halloween things. Thought maybe you’d like to decorate a little.” 

Nari clasps her hands together. “I would very much like that. Will we carve the pumpkins like in the books?” 

“Yep. You seem to be picking up on these traditions well. And then after this we’ll have to get to making costumes and all, maybe watch some movies…” Douxie trails off, gaze wandering to Zoe, who grins. 

“I could think of a few movies-” Zoe starts, crossing her arms. 

“No! Absolutely not,” Douxie says, pointing a finger at her. “Nuh-uh.”

“Fine, fine,” Zoe says, cutting open packages of garland. “One of these days I’ll find real friends who will watch scary movies with me, and then you’ll be sad I’m gone and wish you had just let me.” 

Douxie makes an offended sound but smiles at Zoe. Nari observes his body language, noting his relaxation around Zoe despite his exclamations, how he leans his weight towards her and that he directly meets her eyes. Douxie still has a hard time looking Nari in the eye. This is another one of those odd human things that she doesn’t have a grasp on yet. But she’s not offended by it as she realizes it’s just how Douxie is. She turns around and studies the things they’d brought back. 

Nari snatches a few of the Twizzlers and chews on them thoughtfully, running her hands over the orange and yellow fake leaves. She turns to ask Douxie what they are made of, because whatever the material is reminds her of some plant. Maybe they are just another type of plant? Imitation plants made of other plants? No, that couldn’t be right. But as soon as she looks, she turns away again, feeling mildly intrusive. He’s locked in a kiss with Zoe and Nari is far too shy to intrude. 

Archie, however, is not. He leaps up onto the counter between them, forcefully breaking them apart. Both mages blush deep red. “While I may be glad the mutual pining is finally over, I’d like to eat dinner sooner rather than later.” 

“Yeah, yeah,” Douxie says, grabbing a can opener and fishing out the wet food. Zoe busies herself with something else and Archie purrs contentedly. 

Nari smiles. The dynamic of her little family is everything to her. For a moment, she can forget all the present dangers and fears, even if she knows that they’re still painfully real. 

*****************

After dinner, the group of them decide to take on what is apparently a herculean task of putting up the decorations. Douxie had whispered into Nari’s ear, “She’s a bit of a perfectionist,” to which he’d received a gentle shove in response. Nari does not know what a perfectionist is, but she guesses it has to do with Zoe complaining about the arrangement of the garland no matter what Douxie does with it. From his perch on the counter, Archie assures her that this is nothing new. 

“More to the right. No, your other right, Casperan,” Zoe instructs, standing back. Douxie sidesteps and shifts the tack, looking back over his shoulder. “No, that’s still not right. See how the dip is shallower than the one over there?” 

“Should make you do this,” Douxie says goodnaturedly. “Oh, right, you’re too short.” 

Zoe casts him a withering look and Nari giggles, clamping her hands over her mouth. 

“Wait, I have an idea. Nari, come over here.” Douxie waves her over with his free hand, and so she joins him. He crouches and brushes his hair off his shoulders. “You know those kids we’ve seen sitting on their parents shoulders?” 

“Yes,” Nari says, trying to understand what he’s saying. 

“Well? Hop on,” he says, smiling widely. Nari tips her head, finally seeing what he means. She isn’t sure how an extra weight on his back will help the situation at all, however. But she does as he says and sits on his shoulders, wrapping her arms around his head as he stands up quickly. 

“Ah! Hisirdoux, this cannot be safe,” Nari warns, clutching tighter and squeezing her eyes shut. 

“It’s certainly less safe with your hands over my eyes,” he chuckles. “I’ve got you.” He pins the garland in the wall for a moment and holds her ankles gently. Slowly, she opens her eyes and brings her arms down to his shoulders. 

“Oh. You are very tall,” Nari comments, feeling much less afraid. Her companions laugh. 

“Well, uh, thank you? Think you could help with the garland? You’ll be able to reach it easily this way.” Douxie slowly steps against the wall and turns so that she can lean and pull the tack free. “Zoe, you tell her where.” 

Zoe directs them, and soon enough the garland is hung where she wants it, along with multiple other fall-related pieces of decor. Nari does not understand the purpose of this strange activity, but she certainly enjoys it. She feels surprisingly secure atop Douxie’s shoulders and the way Zoe smiles up at her makes her feel happy and Archie’s slow-blinks are endearing. 

Nari feels relaxed and maybe even, as the mortals called it, at home, in this tiny and junky apartment in a dull and grey city. Douxie lets her slide down off his shoulders and they set to carving the pumpkins on the table. Even an immortal could get used to a life like this, she thinks. 

Once the pumpkins are carved, just simple, stereotypical faces in all of them, they’re set out on the balcony and lit with fake candles, flickering slightly from their perch over the street. Nari had not enjoyed the feeling of the mushy pumpkin seeds all over her hands, but the overall process was strangely intricate and unusual. Humans were so funny, in wonderful ways. 

Douxie puts on “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and makes himself comfortable on the couch. Zoe curls up into his side and before long they’re both asleep. Nari studies them for a moment. Douxie’s hand is still partly threaded through Zoe’s hair. Zoe’s nose is tucked against his chest and his chin rests above her head. Nari can’t help but be happy for them. She never sees Douxie as relaxed as this without Zoe around. 

And to Nari, Zoe is a sort of unknown. Nari likes the way Zoe treats her like a little sibling, and they read books together, do crafts, and “girly” things — though Zoe assures that things like painting nails and makeup are for anyone. Zoe has even begun to attempt to teach her to cook, in hopes that any of it will be better than Douxie’s miserable attempts. According to Zoe, there’s some things that even a thousand years can’t teach you. But Zoe is also a bit complicated and blunt, a polar opposite to Douxie. Even people you know can be confusing, Nari thinks. 

She flicks her eyes back to the TV, but Douxie twitches in his sleep, face scrunching up. Nari places a hand on his shoulder and does her best to impress a calming magic onto him. He seems to calm easily again and Nari can return to the movie. Douxie doesn’t know that she does this because she’s sure that if he knew, he’d discourage her. 

“Are you actually watching, Nari, or are you just worrying about Douxie?” Archie asks, crossing over to her. 

“He is hurting. He has nightmares still. I only wish to help.” Nari gestures to him with a clawed hand, his muscles tensing visibly. “Even with her he is not okay.” 

“He’s seen and been through a lot, Nari, much like Zoe has. We all have, even you, but these things take a special toll on human immortals. But let’s not think about that. In a few days, he’ll be happier than you’ve seen him in a long time, I guarantee you.” Archie curls up in Nari’s lap and starts to purr happily. Nari strokes his fur and listens to the strange sounds as the clay figures dance in the movie. 

***********************

“You look nuclear!” Douxie exclaims, gently clamping Nari’s shoulders between his hands. 

“Thank you,” Nari says shly, blinking and looking away. She’s become a spritely green dragon for the night, a pair of cloth and wire wings hanging off her back and a curled tail descending from her waist. Zoe had painted on an appearance of scales to her face and arms. What Nari liked most about it was that her horns could stand on full and proud display. Nari reaches out and straightens Douxie’s bright red vest. 

He and Zoe are dressed like they used to thirty years ago, apparently. Nari hasn’t seen the film their costumes are based on yet, but Douxie promised they’d watch it in the coming days, insisting that she’d like it. The little forest goddess isn’t so sure, but she trusts her companions. Douxie wears the vest over a jean jacket and a checked button up and he’s mussed his hair up some, likely using a little bit of magic to give it a shorter look, trading his black sneakers for a pair of white ones, blue jeans instead of black for once. Zoe has, albeit temporarily, stripped the color from her hair with a spell, leaving her a light brunette. She wears a white blouse and a jean vest over it, a pair of floral print pants and complimentary sneakers. 

“Group costumes are both great and terrible. Ready to go?” asks Archie, who looks a little uncomfortable in a cat-sized lab coat. He sports a curly white wig with tiny goggles pinned to it that is strapped on under his chin. It amuses Nari that of all things they could be, the three of them seem to rather enjoy dressing in styles that had gone out of favor years ago, and as movie characters to boot. “I do find the irony of dressing as “Back to the Future” characters rather amusing, seeing as Douxie’s recent time fiasco.” 

“It’s fitting. I think we had better get out of here before Douxie decides to actually start playing the guitar,” Zoe suggests, gesturing to the electric axe in his hands. He shoves it over his shoulder so the strap crosses his chest. 

“Hey, it doubles as a weapon just in case, and it’s my staff, so all the better, ultimately. You’re just jealous,” Douxie says, crossing his arms and sitting back on his hips. Zoe rolls her eyes. 

“Maybe I’m jealous of McFly’s Toyota,” she comments, “but not of your guitar. I’ve watched that thing zap you while you’re playing.” 

“I’m leaving without you!” Archie calls, slipping out of the door and heading down the hall. Nari laughs and chases after him, hopping into the elevator and holding the button to keep the doors open as Zoe and Douxie finish locking up the apartment. The two young adults join them, and soon enough they’re on the street. 

Nari clutches a little plastic pumpkin in her hands as she skips along, the little dragon wings catching the air and fluttering slightly. She compliments all sorts of beautiful, complex, and even just funny costumes that she sees as they walk, earning her fair share of compliments in turn. She bows politely to someone handing out candy and drops the little bag into her pumpkin. 

“Nari!” Douxie calls out, waving with a hand. “Stay where we can see you, please. And don’t forget the whole ‘trick or treat’ thing, eh? Bowing is formal, but a little uncustomary.” 

“Oh, right,” she says, falling back in step with her companions. Archie trots beside them, but it’s not long before the quartet is receiving compliments on their group costume, and then on the realism of Nari’s horns. It brings Nari a wonderful amount of joy to know that her own attributes don’t have to be hidden, even if it’s just on this rare occasion. And Nari feels so much happiness from the city, along with a decent amount of fear. But it’s temporary fear, and the happiness is an overwhelmingly filling sensation to her. 

“Nari, what would you say to some photos?” Zoe asks, reaching down to take the little goddess’s hand. 

“Oh, yes, I would like photos. To remember,” she says, a smile growing on her face. Nari loves to flip through Zoe and Douxie’s scrapbooks from the past century or so. The photos make Nari feel almost nostalgic, even though they’re not her memories. Zoe pulls the four of them up in front of a storefront with a fall display and pulls out her Polaroid. She grabs a passerby and hands it over for them to take the photo. 

“Douxie, stand back a bit, Archie, on Nari’s shoulder? Yeah, that works...and then I’ll go here...there,” Zoe says, seeming satisfied with their arrangement. “Please no stupid faces.” 

“For the last time, I don't make stupid faces on purpose. How about one normal and one silly?” Douxie asks, and Nari can just tell he’s got that crooked grin. 

“Fine, but only because you’re giving me that face,” Zoe complies and turns back to the kind stranger. “Alright, two photos.” 

The first one is snapped, and Nari blinks at the intensity of the light -- after the photo is taken, of course. She'd learned about that one a week or so ago. 

“Now the silly one,” Douxie says, crouching down to let Nari onto his shoulders again. She jumps up and holds him carefully this time. Archie leaps down for a moment and Douxie lifts Zoe, her legs over one of his arms and her shoulders under the other. If Nari didn’t know that Douxie was shockingly strong for his physique, she would have insisted he not do this. But his face only shows slight strain. Archie jumps up onto Zoe’s stomach and the group of them are all laughing as the second photo is taken. Nari knows that one will be perfect. 

Douxie lets Zoe and Archie down but keeps Nari on his shoulders at her request. Nari holds her arms out and feels the slight mist in the air as they walk, feeling much, much happier than she has felt in longer than she can recall, and just like Archie had said, so does Douxie. Archie perches on Zoe’s shoulders and Douxie’s hand is in hers, and in that moment, Nari can feel all of their emotions and auras through that simple connection. 

“I know it’s cliche, but I’m thinking of that one Back to the Future quote,” Douxie says, swinging Zoe’s hand a little as they walk. She looks up at him and smiles. “ ‘Your future hasn’t been written yet, no one’s has. So make it a good one.’ ”

“I like that one,” Nari hums, resting her chin against Douxie’s head. 

“Well, for the record, mine will always be ‘Great Scott!’” Archie says. The four of them break into deep, true laughter that carries off into the steady noise of the night. Nari closes her eyes and enjoys the sound.

**Author's Note:**

> And there you have it, folks! Hope you enjoyed this little mini-series as much as I did! And now....drumroll please....Zouxie week awaits! And after that I take a short break from writing my ass off and actually do my classwork, lol. 
> 
> If I ever learn to use digital art stuff well, I'd draw that 'silly' photo scene because I'm sure it would be the cutest damn thing. If any of you would like to draw it, be my guest. <333


End file.
